Transcription
The following program is sponsored by friends and partners of Kingdom Connection.
Some of you need a health breakthrough. Some of you need a financial breakthrough. Relationships are at an impasse. It's stuck. It's not going anywhere. God wants to give you a breakthrough. And what we're going to do the next 21 days as we come together by the thousands is we're going to enter in. We're going to say we're not just going to see all these things going on in our life that are not good, that are at a standstill, that are stuck, that nothing's happening, and we feel defeated in. But we're going to seek God for breakthroughs the next 21 [Music] days.
I want to talk to you today from 2 Samuel chapter 5 because God has dealt with my heart and I believe this message today is exactly what people under the I prayed about this and I said, God, I want you to put the people, whether it's at every campus, there in Buford, there in Gwinnett, or Orange County, or wherever you're watching this online or on TV, wherever you're hearing this message, if you're listening to this, don't you change that channel. Wherever you're hearing this, I'm about to give you something that will change everything in your life if you'll lean in.
2 Samuel 5 and verse 20: And David came to Ba-perazim and David defeated them there. And he said, listen to these words, "The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like a breakthrough of water." Therefore he called the name of that place Ba-perazim. The word breakthrough, he, and that's what he said, "The Lord has broken through." Means to burst asunder, a sudden burst, like a breach of water. To burst means to force open. When he said, and he called the name of that place, Ba-perazim, it literally means translated, "The place of breakthrough" or "The place of burst." God burst on the scene, broke through the resistance, the doors that were shut were opened. Mir, a whole new level was entered into. Everything changed because the Lord of bursts, the Lord of breakthroughs. David said, came onto this place where I was fighting a battle for my life and I had a breakthrough. And he called the place, one translation says, he called the place, "The Lord mastered my breakthrough in this place."
You see, a breakthrough is a sudden, dramatic, important advance, according to Webster. Some of you need a health breakthrough. Some of you need a financial breakthrough. Relationships are at an impasse. It's stuck. It's not going anywhere. God wants to give you a breakthrough. And we're going to, what we're going to do the next 21 days as we come together by the thousands is we're going to enter in. We're going to say we're not just going to see all these things going on in our life that are not good, that are at a standstill, that are stuck, that nothing's happening, and we feel defeated it in. But we're going to seek God for breakthroughs the next 21 days.
Here's something God really spoke to my heart. He said, "If people will seek me, if they need them, I'm going to give them breakthrough ideas." You know, God can give you one breakthrough idea and it can change your whole world. And there are things that don't happen until we fast and pray. According to Mark chapter 9. And one thing God said he was going to do on this fast this year is he's going to give people breakthrough ideas, breakthroughs with their kids, breakthroughs with God.
Now, here's a big point. Breakthroughs never happen to anyone in the Bible who did not seek them. That's a big statement. You'll never find anyone in the Bible who got a major breakthrough that didn't seek it. That's why Psalm 77 and: 2 says, "When I was in distress, when I was undersourced, when I was outnumbered, I sought the Lord. I stretched out my hands to the Lord and I had a breakthrough." Fasting is a sign to God you're serious about not staying in the condition that you're in.
Now look at me just a moment. Are you really, are you really thinking that something's going to change if you just keep going like you're going? I'm telling you that no one in this book ever got a break, breakthrough with a relationship or in their finances or any other kind of miracle until they started to seek the Lord. And when you start seeking the Lord, you get God's attention. Heaven bends its ear and God tunes in to your cry. It's a powerful thing.
There are two kings particularly that needed a breakthrough. The first one we just read about, David. He had just been chosen king. The Philistines came to attack him. That's how it goes. A mountaintop and then a valley. You get a, you get a victory and then a test. It's just like the enemy comes at you. And what do you do? The Bible said that he moved to his fortified place. If you read the story, you need to move into that fortified place. And he said, "God, should I fight this battle?" He asked God first. You ought to always ask God. On this fast, what battles you need to get in? Do I need to get in that legal battle? Do I need to get in that financial battle? Do I need to get in that relational battle? Should I make an issue at work? Should I make an issue about this with that person? Lord, should I do it? And when he asked God, God said, "Yes, yes, fight this battle. I'll go with you. I'll go before you." And the Bible said that God so defeated his enemy that David, when he sought the Lord, saw a breakthrough. And he said, "I watch the Lord break through my enemies like a mighty flood. The Lord broke through." And that's what is going to happen in your life on this 21-day fast. You're going to point back and say, "That was the 21 days." I didn't even know it. Maybe you won't experience it during the 21 days. Rarely does the miracle come during the fast. Usually, it'll hit you on down the road. But sometimes you get it on the first day. But the Bible said that he said, "I'm naming this place the place of breakthrough." The valley of trouble became the valley of blessing because he sought the Lord in fasting and prayer. And that's what's going to happen to you. You're going to look back and in 21 days you're going to say, "That was the place of breakthrough in my life." I'm naming it Bel-perazim.
The God of burst. He's burst open the resistance and the doors that were closed. Another guy who got a breakthrough miracle king was named Jehoshaphat. Notice the part, last part of his name, "phat." I probably think they probably called him fatty for short. He had three enemies: the Moabites, the Amorites, and, and I can't remember the other one, the termites. That's what I'm going to call them. But they were, they were attacking his life. And the Bible said in 2 Chronicles 20 and verse 3: "And after these enemies attacked him, he feared greatly. And King Jehoshaphat set himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah." That's exactly what we're doing. We're setting ourselves to seek the Lord. We need breakthroughs in our family, breakthroughs in our homes, breakthroughs in our careers, breakthrough ideas, breakthrough creativity, break through in ways and and things and moments of clarity that God gives us, total and complete direction and peace about what His will is for our life.
And what happened? Jehoshaphat, the Bible said, had the Lord come through a prophet. And he said, "Because you fasted and you prayed, God's going to give you a breakthrough." If you read that chapter, and the prophet said, "You will not need to fight in this battle. The Lord's going to fight your battle. Be still and put the praisers out." Praise is going to come alive during this fast in your life. Praise and worship. I am not, you know, the early church, Leonard Ravenhill, said that the, that the, that the early church had an upper room with fire, but the modern church has a supper room with smoke. And I'm here today to declare that we're tired of supper rooms with smoke. This thing was born in the fire of the Holy Spirit, and we need fire today. Come on, somebody. I'm not going to live off of the, off of the supper room of smoke. I want the upper room of Holy Spirit fire. It's time to drop the H-bomb on our enemies. The Holy Spirit, drop him into that situation, and he'll fight the battle for you, and you'll get a breakthrough. Take a praise break. Break and clap your hands and give God a great praise if you're believing for a mighty year of breakthrough. Woo! Hallelujah!
Notice Philippians chapter 4 tells us exactly what those people did. And Paul comes along and emphasizes it in, in chapter 4. He says these words: "He says, 'Don't be anxious for anything.'" The word anxious means worry. Some translations say, "Don't worry about anything." Don't worry about anything. Don't worry about anything. Well, that's easy to say. How in the world, how is that even possible? How do I not worry about my children? How do I not worry about the bad doctor's report? How do I not worry? Listen to this. This is why fasting is so powerful, folks. Because what fasting does is it takes your mind off of worry and it refocuses on God and His promises. That's how you don't worry. You refocus on God. And there's nothing like fasting that will cause your faith to refocus and fervency back in your prayer life. Worry is worthless. Worry is stewing without doing. All you're doing is sitting, worrying, stewing, and stewing, and stewing, running your blood pressure all the way over there in the red. The, the meters all the way worrying, and it's totally worthless. That's why Jesus, in the fasting chapter where he, where he taught how to fast in Matthew chapter 6 and verse 6, he said, "Don't," right in the middle of it, drop this BMB, "Don't worry about tomorrow. Don't worry about the future. Don't worry about the rest of 2017. I am your provider. I am your God. And if you'll refocus on me, you'll remember I've given you everything you've ever had."
And see, the enemy wants you to, the enemy wants you to die on three crosses. And here's how that goes. He wants you to have a cross from the past that, that, that of things you can't change. The past is over. You might have messed up, but you can't change it. So live in that. If he can't get you to live on that cross, he'll say, "Then, then, then, then worry about the future. Worry about the F, what might happen, what could happen." And you'll die on that cross. But what happens is when you get, when you get given all your day about what I should have done, could have done, the past, and what's going to happen, what's going to happen, the future, guess what happens then? He puts a third cross, and you kill today. Worry is worthless. Don't worry about anything.
But in everything, here's how you do it: pray. Now notice what he said. He said, "I don't want you to worry about anything. I want you to pray about everything." So if you're taking notes, write this down: In 2017, don't worry about anything. Well, how do I do that? I refocus on God's word. When worry starts attacking me, I go back to God. I worship Him. I fast and I pray, and suddenly my focus has changed. Don't worry about anything.
Now, secondly, pray about everything. Well, it's kind of silly to probably to pray about what I'm thinking about. I, I prayed about my face breaking out. I'm put it this way: If it's big enough to worry about, it's big enough to pray about. Well, well, Pastor, you don't understand. I mean, it's not a huge thing, but, but my kid needs braces, and I just don't know where I'm going to get the money from. If it's big enough to worry about, it's big enough to pray about. I need a house. I need a, if it's big enough to worry about, it's big enough to pray about. My children, this is going on one of my kids, this one, that one. And you sit around, don't worry about anything, pray about everything. Pray about it. Pray about it. Pray about it.
Now, I want to show you something. Everybody, take your hands. And this isn't, this isn't something I came up with. If you Google the praying hands, you'll pick up a lot of these points off of many, many, many, uh, much material on. I, I didn't know the history of the praying hands. You've seen it in pictures. Just take your hands, all of you, and put, put your praying hands up. Notice that when you do that, the thumb is clo, the thumbs are closest to your heart, right? And they're pointing back at, at you. All right. So I want to give you a quick prayer outline to pray during this fast. Now, listen to me. So this, this hand, the left hand tells me who to pray for. Notice this thumb pointing back is closest to my heart. So here's what I'm going to pray for in the, in five minutes a day, three times a day. Those closest to my heart. Who's that? My family and my friends. So everybody say, "Friends and family." That's that represents the thumb. So let that remind you, closest to your heart, friends and family. All I'm going to pray, friends, in the morning when I get up, first thing when I get up, friends and family.
Then this is the index finger. And it points the way. And my mom, when I was little, she used to do this sometimes. No, no, no, no, no. So it rebukes me, it corrects me. So you ought to pray for those who lead you and who pastor you, that they would have courage to not only point you to the good things, but correct you and preach sermons that convict you and keep you in love with Jesus Christ. Come on, pray.
And then notice the middle finger, or the tallest finger. Now, don't make me hold it up by itself. But notice that it stands out. It's the tallest finger. It's the one that stands out. What does that represent? Influencers. Who are the influencers in our C, in our culture? Musicians, rock stars, rappers, the president, the politicians, the, um, we movie stars. Whether we like it or not, the truth is that many of these people, Bill Gates, people like that, they have massive influence. We need to quit talking down to all these people and pray for the Kardashians. And pray and fast for, come on, pray and fast for Kanye. And pray and fast. Don't just wear his tennis shoes, pray for it.
This is the ring finger. What does it represent? It represents our marriages, our relationships. But it also is the weakest finger. It represents weakness. It represents the poor. Pray for the poor. It represents the sick. Pray for those who have cancer, going through chemo. Pray for people that you know that are infirm. The shins, the, those in the rest homes. Pray for our ministry, Mom, and all of her team as they go to minister to the, to the weak. Pray for the little children. Pray for the poor. Pray, pray for the disabled. Pray for the handicapped. Pray for the sick and the weak. We don't do that enough. It's all about us, isn't it? But these are things we should pray for while we fast.
And then the last one is me. Yeah, God loves me and cares about me. But the focus, the last thing, and the smallest thing, is me. Because if I seek first and do all of these things and put others ahead of me, guess what? God's going to take care of me. Now, watch this. Let me show you something real quick. Now, this hand, let it remind you of this, that, that this represents what I'm praying for. So if the thumb is coming back at me, I'm praying for a clean heart for me and my family and friends. A clean heart. He said in Jeremiah, "That if you search for me and seek for me, you you'll find me when you search for me with all of your heart." Half-hearted religion is an abomination to God. Pray for your own heart to be clean. Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it flows all the issues of life. You'll make crazy decisions. You'll get in terrible relationships. Guard my heart, God. Guard my heart. Let my heart be clean. Give me a clean heart in a right spirit. David said, "Pray for a pure heart."
Then pray that God will lead you and God will rebuke you. That God will open doors that way, and he will shut doors. No, no, no. That's not my will for your life. Pray for greater influence. Again, the tallest finger, that you personally will have growing influence in a new year. That God will take you higher. That you will stand out and your influence will grow on your job. Your influence will grow with people. Your influence will grow in, in the field that God has planted you in, the city, the place where God's called you. Young people, start praying, "Give me greater influence." I never dreamed I'd know the president of the United States, but I know this one, and I'm praying for him. And that's not a political nothing. It's just my God. Can we not pray for those who are in influence? I did for every other president. I'm going to pray for this one too. God knows he needs it. All of us need it. Pray. If you'll pray for influence, you'll be astounded where God will take you.
Pray for your own weaknesses. And lastly, pray, is the little one, for material blessings. Because if I seek first the kingdom of God, all of these things. But it's totally in order to ask God for material blessings. "But my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches and glory through Christ Jesus." So what I'm saying to you is simply this: God is ready in a new year to send mighty, mighty breakthroughs. And the Lord told me to tell you, in Joel chapter 2, in closing, this is what it says: "It says, 'If you'll return to me in fasting and in prayer,' listen to this, 'I will restore the years the enemy has stolen.'" Our God is a healer of broken dreams, and He is a restorer of stolen years. And this is the year when God is going to break through in your life, and everything in your life is going to change. I really do believe when I'm preaching, you're going to get a breakthrough. And, and instead of being a prisoner of an appetite for, for because you're an alcoholic or a drug addict, and that's keeping you in a, in a, in a place that you can't get out of, and so much God has for you, you're going to walk through the door you've never been able to walk through because He's the God of burst. He's the God of breakthrough. I come against nicotine and I speak breakthrough because the enemy wants you to die 10 years, 15 years before you were supposed to. But this is the fast that I hear it. The Lord's saying thousands will be set free from nicotine that is killing their body. You will no longer be a prisoner to that appetite, and it's stealing life from you. You're committing suicide on the installment plan. If God wanted you to smoke, it'll put a chimney on your head.
I feel the Lord. Lift your hands up and shout, "Breakthrough!" three times. Come on, get it big in your mouth and say, "Breakthrough!" Woo! I feel it. Church, somebody's going to get a breakthrough in your health, and you're going to get your, your health back this year. Help is on the way. But the Lord told me to tell people who would be under the sound of my voice, and again, I've been fasting and praying for you this week, that there is nothing that is holding you. There is no appetite or bondage that is holding you that is that is authorized to keep you in this new year. If you will heed what you're hearing and seek the Lord, He will set you free.
And if you're in this room and you would say, "Pastor Jensen, I know I'm backslid. I know I'm far from God. I know I'm out of fellowship with Him. I know I'm doing things that I, I just don't want to keep going like this. I need a breakthrough, Pastor. I need a breakthrough spiritually. I need one of those moments of clarity where I hear His voice again, and the, the filth gets out of my life, and I'm clean. I'm clean. I'm clean. I want to be clean again." This is your service. This is your fast. If you're in this room, you'd say, "Pastor, you're preaching to me. I need to get right with God." And this is a great chance to do it without, without any hesitation. If that's you, and you'd say, "Pastor, I'd like to repent and get right with God in a brand new year," raise your hand right where you're standing. I want to see it. Be bold. There you go. There you go. There you go. Beautiful. Keep it up. Keep it up.
Hi, look at man, that's amazing. Every one of you that raised your hand, as quick as you can, this is a breakthrough about to happen. Get out of your seat and come stand down here. These people are going to pray you through. Pray you through to forgiveness and grace, which is divine empowerment. Things you can't handle on your own. God's grace is going to come running to your rescue. Come on, come on. Somebody else needs to come. Hurry, hurry, hurry. This is the day of breakthroughs.
The Lord has mastered my breakthrough. The Lord of burst. He can just break through, and everything changes from that moment. How many of you need a breakthrough in your life in some area? Raise that hand. Raise those hands up toward heaven. Father, here we are. We give you our lives. We give you everything in this new year. We give you our families. We need breakthroughs. Breakthroughs out of bondage. Breakthroughs out of fear. And in the name of Jesus, I decree, oh God, by the power of Your word, that You are the Lord of breakthroughs. That we will look back at the end of these 21 days, and maybe it'll be in March, or maybe it'll be in June, or maybe it'll be in October. But every one of those months, You are already going before us, scheduling breakthrough after breakthrough after breakthrough as Your people seek You. It's not about the food. Keep your mind on Jesus and focus on Him and worship Him. And replace all music with good worship music, and watch how His presence invades your life, invades your home.
Now, lift up your voice one more time and thank Him for the breakthroughs in advance. We want 2017 to be your best year yet. As you take time in the beginning of the year to slow down and listen for the voice of God through fasting and prayer, Jensen Franklin has prepared a group of resources to encourage you along the journey this month. With your gift of $40 or more, you may request our tailor-made 2017 Fasting Kit, including Jensen Franklin's New York Times bestselling book, "Fasting," that has changed the lives of millions of people around the world and is sure to do the same for you. In addition, you will receive a 3 CD series set entitled "Fasting: The Secret Source of Power" that will teach you the how and why of fasting, things you've never seen, things you've never imagined, things you've never thought of. God has up there, and He says, "Answers are awaiting in My presence at the top of the summit of the fasting mountain. Who will come on up higher?" You'll also receive a brand new 21-day Bible study that will build your faith, as well as a fasting guide. Get ready to encounter God in a more intimate and personal way as you refocus on Him through fasting and prayer in 2017. For more information, please visit JensenFranklin.org or call us at 888-888-3473.
Together, we are one. No matter what comes, our bond is tried and true. Join Jensen and Sharice Franklin for One Marriage Conference 2017 with special guests Robert and Debbie Morris. The Morrises are pastors of Gateway Church in Texas, one of the 10 largest churches in America, and authors of the book, "The Blessed Marriage." Experience One Marriage Conference 2017, February 10th through 12th, at Free Chapel in Gainesville, Georgia. Register and find more information at OneMarriageConference.org. [Music]
Here at Free Chapel, our mission is simple: to inspire people to live for Jesus. With incredible worship and messages by Senior Pastor Jensen Franklin, you will leave encouraged to thrive throughout the week. We offer great opportunities for you and your entire family to grow, connect with others, and serve the community. We would love for you to take advantage of all Free Chapel has to offer. For kids from newborn to 12, there's Kid Pack. It's one of the top children's programs around. For middle and high school students, Wednesday night is the best night of the week with Free Chapel Youth. In addition to our weekly events, we have conferences with some of the top musicians and speakers from around the world. For more information on all we have to offer, a great place to start is FreeChapel.org. So come, I invite you to join us at one of our campuses this Sunday. Here at Free Chapel, a place to call [Music] home.
This program has been brought to you by the friends and partners of Jensen Franklin Media Ministries. For more information on this broadcast or for additional resources, go online at JensenFranklin.org.